By PRNewswire-FirstCall

Global Crossing, a leading global IP solutions provider, today announced that it signed 54 new security service contracts in Colombia in 2007, underscoring the advantages of its managed security services and highlighting its new portfolio of Global Crossing Security Solutions for the enterprise sector. The deals include contracts with both new and existing customers.

The Ministry of Education, which signed a 36-month contract last year, is just one example of the organizations that rely on Global Crossing for critical managed security needs.�

In addition to the government of Colombia, enterprises in the financial, industrial and manufacturing sectors are also investing in security solutions. Companies such as Salud Total and Calzado Spring Step, among many others around the country, have also signed on for Global Crossing's solutions.

“Currently, enterprises are extremely aware of the value information has in their businesses. As a result, they don't hesitate when making the necessary investments to secure their processes and reduce their risks. Global Crossing developed an integral suite of security solutions that has been widely embraced by customers and has positioned us as the technological partner of choice for managed security for some of the most important companies in the country,” stated Jaime Pelaez, president of Global Crossing in Colombia.

“As a leading provider of security services, we've always strived to offer the best in managed security, as can be seen by our launch of Latin America's Security Operations Center (SOC) seven years ago; our set of innovative and proprietary solutions for enterprises, such as our Unified Security portal; and the launch of our complete Professional Services portfolio,” commented Juan Carlos Martinez, senior vice president in charge of Internet, data center and outsourcing for Global Crossing Latin America. “The fact that customers ranging from government ministries to financial services firms rely on us reaffirms that we're on the right track,” adds Martinez.

IDC, a leading provider of global IT research and advice defines “Managed Security Services” as those services that manage security 24×7, real time, including monitoring, protection, scalability, analysis and response time to incidents, applied on technologies of “management of anti-virus, firewalls, IDS/IDP, VPNs, UTM, etc. It also includes other services that assure the correct operation of information assurance systems. According to IDC estimates for the Colombian Managed Security Services market, Global Crossing ranks number one in market share and is among the leading providers.

By providing managed security leveraging resources of Security Operation Center combined with world-class ICT infrastructure, Global Crossing Security Solutions help protect customers' sensitive information, maintaining their business agility and flexibility.

Global Crossing Continuity Solutions provide preventive tools and redundancy capabilities that keep businesses running or help minimize any potential economic losses caused by an unexpected incident. On-Demand Solutions let customers use what they need when they need it, including network capacity, storage, processing power and managed services. They enable customers to respond rapidly and adequately to the demands of their clients or to other business opportunities.